See food diet

I am on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it. 

~ Anonymous 

It is easy to overeat at a buffet.

We are human. When we see an abundance of delicious-looking food, we are driven to overindulge.

Historically, such a feast was very labour intensive. The calories consumed, were earned by the physically demanding labour of hunting, gathering, or growing ingredients, then soaking, souring, sprouting, fermenting, culturing, cooking, roasting, and baking the food. 

Today, with the click of a button, we can have a meal delivered to the front door.

Because it is easy to overeat in this environment, cultural influencers encourage us to go to the gym to burn the extra calories. 

At one point, it was the highly affluent that suffered from metabolic diseases - like type 2 diabetes, related to overeating. Only they could afford to outsource food production and buy fractionated foods like refined sugar and white flour.

The less fortunate had to work hard to put food on the table and did not suffer diseases of overconsumption.

Today, technology has graciously reduced our workload, bestowing upon us freedom from drudgery. 

We are free to travel, free from exposure to extreme heat and cold, free from highly infectious microbes and free to learn and focus on our careers.

Unfortunately, we are not free from disease.

Overindulging on vacation

Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us.

~ Peter De Vries

I was inspired to write this after our recent vacation.

We all need a break from the monotony of daily life. But, sometimes, a much-needed vacation may not serve us as well as intended.

Hara hachi bu is a cultural practice of mindfully eating to 80% full. It has been touted as the "secret" to Japanese longevity. 

Observing without judgment what happened at the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet at our hotel, it became clear that for those who have not yet developed the ability to stop eating when full, vacations may be counterproductive to health.

When cooking in bulk with a goal to generate revenue, unless we’re at a wellness resort that sources highly nutritious food, what we consume may not serve us well. 

Ingredient labels provide a glimpse of food quality. If there are yogurt containers, bottles of salad dressing, or syrup labels, I immediately read them, looking for the types of added fats, sweeteners, colours, flavours, and any other lab-made chemicals to determine quality or lack thereof.

Breads, cereals, and pastries are especially tempting at a buffet but often the least healthy.

Wheat is often drenched with herbicides pre-harvest, as are many other grains, and cereals, contributing to making all of us more vulnerable to gluten sensitivity. I have written more about gluten here.

Some countries have banned or are in the process of banning Roundup, with its cancer-causing active ingredient - glyphosate.

When we know how to choose nutrient-dense food, less becomes more to satiate cravings. 

Closing thoughts 

I am a better person when I have less on my plate.

~ Elizabeth Gilbert

Of course, occasionally blessing the food we are presented with and letting it go without judgment is wise.

Becoming obsessive about clean eating is unhealthy.

Long-term consumption of poor-quality foods is what makes us vulnerable to adverse health effects like diabetes and heart disease, not the occasional unhealthy feast.

Indulging while away and then feeling the need to detox or beat ourselves up at the gym upon returning home negates the benefit of stress reduction from the holiday.

Sometimes we try to fill a hole with food, that can only be satiated by addressing unresolved emotional issues.

When physical exertion is only for personal gain, aches and pains may be the cry to channel energy towards helping others. Heed the call.

When we live a meaningful life, we are more likely to be healthy and pain-free.